Roger Clemens is selected as the American League’s MVP, becoming the first pitcher to accomplish the feat since Vida Blue won the honor in 1971. The Red Sox right-hander, who also won this season’s AL Cy Young Award, received 19 of the 28 first-place votes, with Yankee first baseman Don Mattingly and teammate Jim Rice listed on the top of the remaining nine ballots.
Roger Clemens (24-4, 2.48), joining Denny McLain who accomplish the feat in 1968, becomes only the second American League pitcher to unanimously win the Cy Young Award when he captures all 28 first-place votes cast by the writers. The Red Sox 24 year-old right-hander will also be named the circuit’s most valuable player.
New York Yankees first baseman Don Mattingly, who hit .324 with 35 home runs and 145 RBI, easily wins the American League Most Valuable Player Award over Kansas City Royals third baseman George Brett (.335, 30, 103).
1984 – Willie Hernandez wins the American League Most Valuable Player Award, joining Rollie Fingers as the only relief pitchers to be named MVP and Cy Young Award winners in the same season. Kent Hrbek is second with Dan Quisenberry third. Boston Red Sox slugger Tony Armas finishes seventh, despite winning the home run and RBI titles. The last player to lead in those categories and not win was Ted Williams, twice, in the 1942 and 1947 seasons.
1982 – Robin Yount, who hit .331 for the Milwaukee Brewers and led the American League in hits (210), doubles (46), and slugging percentage (.578), is a unanimous choice as AL Most Valuable Player. The future Hall of Famer captures all 27 first-place votes easily beating runner-ups Eddie Murray and Doug DeCinces.
Brewer hurler Rollie Fingers becomes the first relief pitcher ever to win the American League MVP Award. The 34 year-old right-hander, who also wins the Cy Young award, narrowly beats former A’s teammate Rickey Henderson by 11 points.
1981 – Milwaukee Brewers reliever Rollie Fingers, with a 6-3 record, 28 saves and a 1.04 ERA, wins the 1981 American League Cy Young Award, collecting 22 of 28 possible first-place votes. The other six go to Steve McCatty of the Oakland Athletics.
1980 – Despite having missed 45 games with injuries, George Brett is named American League Most Valuable Player. The 27-year-old third baseman’s .390 batting average was the highest in the major leagues since Ted Williams hit .406 in 1941. Brett added 24 home runs and 118 RBI to lead the Kansas City Royals to their first AL pennant.
On November 14, 1979 — Don Baylor of the California Angels wins the MVP Award in the American League. The league leader in both runs scored (120) and runs batted in (139), Baylor also hit .296 with 36 home runs, helping the Angels win the AL West Division and reach the postseason for the first time in…
1978 – In a controversial selection, Boston Red Sox outfielder Jim Rice is named American League Most Valuable Player over New York Yankees pitcher Ron Guidry. Rice led the AL in home runs (46), RBI (139), hits (213), triples and slugging percentage (.600), and became the first AL player to accumulate 400 total bases in a season since Joe DiMaggio in 1937, while Guidry posted a 25-3 record with 248 strikeouts and a 1.74 ERA for the pennant-winning Yankees.
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